Improvement in handles for children s carriages and sleighs



G. E. HAWKS 81 E. A. HILL.

HandIs for Childs Carriages and Sleighs. N0.I58,706, PatentedJan.12,l875

THE GRAFHIC CQPHDTO'LITHBSSKH PARK PLkCEJLY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. HAWKS AND EDGAR A. HILL, OF SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT lN HANDLES FOR CHILDREN'S CARRIAGES AND SLElGHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,706, dated January 12, 1875; application tiled October 10, 1874.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, GEORGE E. HAWKS and EDGAR A. HILL, of Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Childrens Carriages and Sleighs; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

The object of our invention is to provide a childs cab, carriage, or sleigh with an adjustable handle fitted for easy attachment to either the front or rear of said carriage or sleigh, at the will of the user.

Figure l in the accompanying drawing is a representation of the side View of the body of such a carriage or sleigh, with the handle B attached in front, the dotted lines H showing its position when attached at the rear. Fig. 2 is a representation of the bottom of such carriage or sleigh body, with the handle attached in front. Fig. 3 represents the handle altogether disengaged from the carriage or sleigh. Fig. 4 shows one of the lugs used to make the attachment.

In Fig. 3, B B are bars of wood or other suitable material, of any appropriate form or shape, connected at one extremity by the cross-bar 1?, into which we prefer to insert them. A short distance from the other extremity they are connected by a rod of iron or other suitable material, each extremity of which is pivoted to one of the bars. This connecting-rod is provided with the knee or toggle-joint D, as shown in the drawing. F F in Fig. 2 represent two lugs, of sheet metal or other suitable material, securely fastened to the under side of the forward part of the carriage-body, and near the outside edges of it. G G are similar lugs placed near the rear end of the carriage'body. These lugs are of such a size as to receive and hold, between themselves and the carriage or sleigh body,

the ends of the handle, which may be thrust into them from the end or side. The general form of these lugs is shown more clearly by Fig. 4. K is an inclined notch or recess in the edge of the lu L is also another notch in the same.

\Ve will now describe the manner of attaching the above-described handle.

The rod I being bent so as to draw the two parts of the handle together, the handle is applied to the bottom of the carriage or sleigh body, and the rod is straightened, which thrusts the handle apart between the lugs and the body of the vehicle, which confine it closely when the rod is completely straightened. The handle is prevented from being withdrawn from the lugs by the rigidity of the rod I when fully straightened, and by the ends of the rods I fitting into the notches K K in the edges of the lugs. Instead of this, however, pins may be so placed in the handle as to fit into the notches L L, the ends of rod I being received into mortises in the ends of the handle; or thumbscrews may be used to fasten the handle to the lugs; but we prefer the method described.

To change the handle, nothing is necessary but to bend the rod I until the handle clears the lugs, when it may be removed and similarly attached to the other end of the vehicle. It is not essential that these lugs should be attached to the body of the carriage or sleigh, but they may be attached to the axle-tree or other suitable part of the vehicle. The ends of the handle maybe dovetailed, and the lugs placed to tit them, thus securing the handle firmly; but we prefer to construct them as above described.

We claim as our invention- 1. The handle X of a childs carriage, consisting of the side pieces B B, suitably connected at their front ends, and connected at a short distance from their rear ends by means of the jointed rod D, all combined substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of the handle X, lugs F F or G G, and body of the carriage or sleigh, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 5th day of October, 1874.

GEO. E. HAIVKS. EDGAR A. HILL.

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